Fluid proof electrical connector

ABSTRACT

A plug and socket type connector is disclosed that provides a fluid proof electrical connection. The plug member includes a contact with seal members on each side that wipe the socket as the plug is pushed into the socket and seal the plug and socket contacts from the ambient fluid when the contacts are in engagement. The socket contact forms a portion of the wall of the socket opening. The portion of the plug contact that engages the socket contact is cylindrical. It has its longitudinal axis parallel to, but offset from the longitudinal axis of the seal members to force the seal members to be compressed on one side more than the other when the plug is pushed into the socket. This causes the seal members to exert a lateral resilient force that holds the plug contact in engagement with the socket contact.

United States Patent 1191 Hazelhurst 1451 Sept. 4, 1973 FLUID PROOF ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR [75] lnventor: Gerald D. Hazelhurst, Houston, Tex.

[73] Assignee: Mark Products, Inc., Houston, Tex.

[22] Filed: Aug. 31, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 176,507

52] US. Cl 339/60 M, 339/61 M, 339/103 B, 339/255 R [51] Int. Cl. H0lr 13/24, l-lOlr 13/58 [58] Field at Search 339/59, 60, 61, 62, 339/94, 274, 252 R, 252 P, 255 R 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,412,365 11 1968 Nelson 339/94AX FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS 851,217 10 1952 Germany 339 252 P 536,665 5 1941 Great Britain 339 252 P Primary ExaminerMarvin A. Champion Assistant Exqmz 'ner william F. Pate lll Attorney-W. F. Hyer,Jennings B. Thompson et al.

[57 ABSTRACT A plug and socket type connector is disclosed that provides a fluid proof electrical connection. The plug member includes a contact with seal members on each side that wipe the socket as the plug is pushed into the socket and seal the plug and socket contacts from the ambient fluid when'the contacts are in engagement. The socket contact forms a portion of the wall of the socket opening. The portion of the plug contact that engages the socket contact is cylindrical. It has its longitudinal axis parallel to, but offset from the longitudinal axis of the seal members to force the seal members to be compressed on one side more than the other when the plug is pushed into the socket. This causes the seal members to exert a lateral resilient force that holds the plug contact in engagement with the socket contact.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures 20b 21b 20c PATENTEDSEP M915 sum a or 2 I lllu'l'l III FIGS FIGS

FLUID PROOF ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR This invention relates to electrical connectors generally, and in particular to fluid proof plug and socket type connectors.

In US. Pat. No. 3,271,727, entitled Fluid Proof Multiple Connector, that issued Sept. 6, 1966, a plug and socket type connector of the type to which this invention relates is described. In this type connector, as the plug member is inserted into the socket it wipes the interior wall of the socket free of all liquid and moisture prior to effecting an actual electrical connection between the contacts. To insure good, firm, engagement of the contacts, the socket contact is either a split ring or an arcuate plate located so that the inner surface of the ring or plate form a part of the interior wall of the socket. The split ring has a diameter less than that of the plug contact so it will be spread open by the plug contact. It is made of a resilient, spring-like, material that, when spread open by the plug contact, will exert a resilient force that holds the contacts in firm engagement. The socket body in which the contact is embedded is made of an elastomeric material, such as rubber, that will readily accommodate the spreading open of the split ring. It is deformed by such movement and also exerts a resilient force urging the contacts together. In the case of the arcuate plate, it is embedded in a body of elastomeric material and is moved laterally of the socket by the plug contact. This deforms the body and the resilient force of the body resisting such deformation holds the plate in firm engagement with the plug contact. With either type contact, the portion of the socket body in which the contact is embedded must be of an elastomeric material to accommodate the movement of the contact and in the one case, supply the holding force.

It is an object of this invention to provide a plug and socket type of connector that obtains good, firm engagement between the'contacts thereof without movement or deformation of the contacts.

It is another object of this invention to provide a fluid proof plug and socket type electrical connector of the type described above wherein the body of the socket can be made of a relatively rigid material and an effective firm engagement between the socket contact and the plug contact can be maintained without deforming either contact.

It is another object of this invention to provide a fluid proof plug and socket type electrical connector having a resilient force that urges the plug contact laterally into firm engagement with the socket contact of the connector.

It is another object of this invention to provide a fluid proof plug and socket type connector wherein the sealing elements carried by the plug wipe the socket clean as the plug is being inserted into the socket, isolate the contacts when in engagement from the ambient atmosphere, and also provide the lateral resilient force maintaining the contacts in good, firm engagement.

These and other objects, advantages, and features of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of this specification, including the attached drawings and appended claims.

The invention will now be described in detail in connection with the attached drawings in which,

FIG. 1 is a view, in elevation, of the preferred embodiment of the connector of this invention, the view being taken from the cable end of the plug assembly;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view through one of the plug members of the plug assembly of the connector;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken'along line 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a view of the plug member of FIG. 5 inserted in a socket of the socket assembly.

The novel features of this invention can be embodied in connectors having one socket and one plug member for insertion therein to connect together two electrical conductors, or it can be arranged as a multi-socket, multi-plug member connector for connecting several conductors through one connector assembly.

In the embodiment shown, the connector is designed to provide a take out connection for a multi-conductor cable. In other words, cable 10 is of the type containing many pairs of conductors. The connector in the drawings is designed to connect one pair of conductors in cable 10 to a pair of conductors in cable 11. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, conductor pair 10a and 10b are connected to conductor pair 11a and 11b of cable 11. Further, as shown, ground cable is connected to ground connection 11c of cable 1 l. The structure for accomplishing this in accordance with this invention, as embodied in the connector shown in the drawings, will now be described in detail.

The connector includes socket assembly 12 and plug assembly 13. The socket assembly includes a socket body which, in the embodiment shown, comprises two portions 14a and 14b. The two portions are adapted to be assembled around cable 10 and fastened together by machine screws 15. The two portions of the body are internally shaped to provide cavity 16. The portion of cable 10 inside cavity 16 has its insulation removed so that conductor pair 10a and 10b and ground 100 can be connected to the appropriate socket contacts to be described below. Cavity 16 and the openings in the body through which cable 10 extends is sealed by appropriate gaskets, such as gaskets l8 and 19 in FIG. 3.

In the embodiment shown, socket body portion 14b is provided with three sockets, 20a, 20b, and 20c. These sockets are openings having a generally uniform diameter throughout their length and are open at both ends. A socket contact is positioned in the socket body for each socket, with one surface thereof forming a portion of the wall of the socket intermediate its ends. In the embodiment shown, sleeves or cylinders 20a, 20b, and 20c, are located in body portion 14b with the longitudinal axes of the cylinders coinciding with the longitudinal axes of sockets 20a, 20b, and 200, respectively. The inside diameters of the cylinders are substantially equal to the diameters of the sockets so that the inside wall of the cylinders form a portion of the inside wall of the sockets and provide a contact surface to be engaged by the contact of the plug member to be inserted in each socket.

Since socket contacts 21a, 21b, and 210. are cylindrical members, and since preferably they are made of an electrically conductive material, such as brass, they will not expand readily, and in accordance with this invention they need not do so, therefore the body portion of the socket may be made of a relatively rigid material.

This allows some of the easily molded plastics, such as polyurethane or polypropylene, to be used. These materials have good electrical insulating qualities and allow the contacts to be embedded in the body of the material when it is cast.

An opening is required between the socket contacts and cavity 16 to allow the conductors in cable to be connected to the socket contacts. Alternatively, a lead could be connected to each contactto extend into cavity l6 and be molded in place during the forming of the socket body. In any event, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the socket contacts are connected to the appropriate conductors in cable 10.

The plug assembly includes a plug member for inser- 2 tion into the socket in the body of the socket assembly. In the embodiment shown, plug assembly 13 includes three such plug members, 24a, 24b, and 240. All of the plug members are of the same construction, therefore only one will be described in detail.

Referring to FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, plug member 24a is shown on an enlarged scale. The plug member includes plug contact 26 that is made of a conductive material, such as brass, and one that is also preferably easily machined. End 27 of the plug contact is provided with tapped hole 28 that is used in a manner to be described below to mount the plug member in the housing of the plug assembly. Portion 29 of the plug contact is of reduced diameter relative to portion 27, and is somewhat elongated relative to its diameter. Intermediate the ends of this portion of reduced diameter is located a radially extending portion, which in the embodiment shown is disc shaped portion 30.

The plug member also includes two seal members 31 and 32, located on opposite sides of disc30. Seal members 31 and 32 are of a resilient elastomeric material, such as rubber. As best seen in FIG. 5, they are formed by a body of such materialthat is molded around contact 26 over substantially its entire length. Radially extending disc or cylindrical shaped portion 30 of the contact has its central longitudinal axis coinciding with the longitudinal axis of section 29 of the contact. When seal rings 31 and 32 are molded around the contact, the contact is located with its longitudinal axis out of alignment with the longitudinal axis of the mold cavity so that the end product is as shown in FIG. 5, with the longitudinal axis of cylindrical portion 30 being parallel to, but offset from, the longitudinal axes of the seal rings. The outside diameter of portion 30 is less than the inside diameter of the socket that is to receive it. The seal rings, are, of course, larger in diameter than the socket so they will form a seal with the socket. Thus, with contact portion 30 extending beyond the seal rings on one side, when the plug member is inserted into a socket, the seal rings will be compressed on one side more than the other as the radially extending portion of the contact enters the socket. As shown, disc or cylindrical shaped portion 30 is just slightly under the inside diameter of the socket contact. The eccentrically e, i.e. the distance the contact, extends radially beyond the outside surface of the seal rings, will depend on the material of the seal rings, its durometer, etc. In fact, if the seal rings were sufficiently oversized, the benefits of this invention could be obtained even though the contact did not extend beyond the seal members as long as it would cause a lateral shift of the axes of the seal members as it moves into the socket.

Disc shaped portion 30, as shown in FIG.'6, is provided with milled slots 33 and 34, to allow the rubber to flow in the mold from one side of the disc to the other to make it easier to fill the mold during the molding operations. This also provides a tie between the rubber on opposite sides of the disc.

In operation then, when plug member 24a is inserted in socket 20a, the seal members will be forced to move laterally as disc portion 30 enters the socket. This, of course, increases the stress and compression in the seal members on the side opposite the direction of eccentricity "e, and results in a laterally directed, resilient, force urging the portion of disc 30 that engages the inside wall of socket 200 laterally against the wall. This results in the outside surface of disc 30 being held in very firm engagement with the inside wall of socket contact 21a as shown in FIG. 7.

As shown in FIG. 2, plug assembly 13 includes three plug members, 24a, 24b, and 24c. Housing 35 of the plug assembly has three holes through front wall 35a in which the plug members are located. The mounting holes have portions with different diameters. Each of the plug members have seal rings, such as seal ring 31a of plug member 24a, formed integrally with the body of elastomeric material that is molded around their contacts to be compressed in the large diameter portion of the mounting holes to provide a seal between the plug members and the housing. The upper end of the contacts extend into the smaller diameter portion. L-shaped washers 37a and mounting screws 36 that engage tapped holes, such as tapped hole 28 of plug member.24a, anchor the plug members in the front wall of the housing.

Conductors 11a, 11b, and 110, are then connected to the L-shaped washers to electrically connect the conductors to the plug contacts. Housing cap 40 closes housing cavity 41 in which the mounting screws and L- shaped washer members are located. Mounting screws 42 connect the cap to housing 35 and seal ring 43 isolates cavity 41 from the ambient atmosphere.

Cap 40 has a cylindrical portion 44 through which cable 11 extends into cavity 41. A seal is formed between the cap and cable 11 by gland nut 45 that compresses packing 46 between the gland nut and shoulder 47 in the cylindrical portion of cap 40. a

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the spacing between plug members 24a 24b is different than between 24b and 240, and the same is true of the sockets in the socket assembly. This insures that each plug member is inserted in the proper socket each time the connector is assembled.

' From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the appa ratus and structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the apparatus and method of this invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. A fluid proof connector comprising a socket assembly and a plug assembly, the socket assembly including a body having a socket therein and a contact positioned in the body with one surface thereof forming a portion of the wall of the socket intermediate the ends of the socket, the plug assembly including a plug member located in the socket having a contact with a radially extending portion engaging the surface of the socket contact that forms a portion of the wall of the socket and two seal members of resilient material positioned on opposite sides of the radially extending portion of the plug contact engaging the walls of the socket on opposite sides of the socket contact surface that forms a portion of the inside wall of the socket to seal the two engaged contact surfaces from ambient fluid exterior of the connector, said radially extending portion of the plug contact being eccentric to the longitudinal axis of the socket to cause said seal members to be compressed more against one side of the socket than the other by the plug contacts engagement with the socket contact to provide a resilient force to hold the contacts in good electrical contact.

2. The connector of claim 1 in which the socket assembly contact is a cylindrical member, the inside diameter of which is substantially equal to the diameter of the socket in the socket body.

3. The connector of claim 1 in which the surface of the radially extending portion of the plug contact that engages the socket contact is generally cylindrical with its axis parallel to and spaced from the longitudinal axis of the seal members.

4. A fluid proof electrical connector comprising a socket assembly and a plug assembly, the socket assembly including a body of non-conductive material having a socket therein and a contact positioned for a surface of the contact to form a portion of the side wall of the opening that is spaced from the ends of the opening, said plug assembly including a plug member comprising a contact having an elongated central portion and a radially extending portion attachedto the central portion intermediate its ends, and two seal members of resilient elastomeric material mounted on the central portion on opposite sides of the radially extending portion of the contact to engage the side walls of the socket in the socket body and seal the contacts from fluid outside the socket body, said radially extending portion extending radially beyond the outside surface of the seal members on one side of the plug member and less than the outside surface of the seal members on the other side to compress the resilient elastomeric material of the seal members against the side wall of the opening as the contact of the plug member is inserted into the opening in the socket to provide a resilient force urging the radially extending portion of the plug contact into engagement with the socket contact.

5. The connector of claim 4 in which the socket contact is a cylinder with its longitudinal axis in axial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the socket and spaced from its ends.

6. The connector of claim 4 in which the radially extending portion of the plug contact is generally cylindrical with its longitudinal axis parallel to and spaced from the longitudinal axes of the seal rings.

7. A fluid proof connector comprising a socket assembly and a plug assembly, the socket assembly including a body having a plurality of sockets therein and a plurality of contacts, each positioned in the body with one surface of each contact forming a portion of the wall of onev of the sockets intermediate the ends of the socket, the plug assembly including a plurality of plug members for insertion into the sockets in the body of the sockets, each plug member including a contact having a radially extending portion to engage the surface of the socket contact that forms a portion of the wall of a socket when the plug member is inserted in the socket, and two seal members of resilient material positioned on opposite sides of the radially extending portion of the plug contact to engage the walls of the socket on opposite sides of the socket contact surface that forms a portion of the inside wall of the socket to seal the two engaged contact surfaces from ambient fluid exterior of the connector when the plug member is inserted into the socket, said seal members being in axial alignment with each other and positioned relative to the radially extending portion of the plug contacts to be forced laterally out of axial alignment with the sockets when the radially extending portion of the plug contact engages the socket contact to provide a resilient force urging the contacts into engagement when the plug member is inserted into the sockets of the socket body.

8. A fluid proof connector comprising a socket assembly and a plug assembly, the socket assembly including a body having a socket therein and a contact positioned in the body with one surface thereof forming a portion of the wall of the socket intermediate the ends of the socket, the plug assembly including a plug member for insertion into the socket in the body of the socket, said plug member including a contact having a radially extending portion having a generally cylindrical surface to engage the surface of the socket contact that forms a portion of the wall of the socket, and two seal members of resilient material positioned on opposite sides of the radially extending portion of the plug contact to engage the walls of the socket on opposite sides of the socket contact surface that forms a portion of the inside wall of the socket to seal the two engaged contact surfaces from ambient fluid exterior of the connector, said seal members being in axial alignment with each other and positioned with their axis parallel to and spaced from the longitudinal axis of the generally cylindrical surface of the radially extending portion of the plug contact to be forced laterally out of axial alignment with the socket to provide a resilient force urging the contacts into engagement when the plug member is inserted into the socket of the socket body.

9. The connector of claim 8 in which the socket assembly contact is a cylindrical member, the inside diameter of which is substantially equal to the diameter of the socket in the socket body. 

1. A fluid proof connector comprising a socket assembly and a plug assembly, the socket assembly including a body having a socket therein and a contact positioned in the body with one surface thereof forming a portion of the wall of the socket intermediate the ends of the socket, the plug assembly including a plug member located in the socket having a contact with a radially extending portion engaging the surface of the socket contact that forms a portion of the wall of the socket and two seal members of resilient material positiOned on opposite sides of the radially extending portion of the plug contact engaging the walls of the socket on opposite sides of the socket contact surface that forms a portion of the inside wall of the socket to seal the two engaged contact surfaces from ambient fluid exterior of the connector, said radially extending portion of the plug contact being eccentric to the longitudinal axis of the socket to cause said seal members to be compressed more against one side of the socket than the other by the plug contact''s engagement with the socket contact to provide a resilient force to hold the contacts in good electrical contact.
 2. The connector of claim 1 in which the socket assembly contact is a cylindrical member, the inside diameter of which is substantially equal to the diameter of the socket in the socket body.
 3. The connector of claim 1 in which the surface of the radially extending portion of the plug contact that engages the socket contact is generally cylindrical with its axis parallel to and spaced from the longitudinal axis of the seal members.
 4. A fluid proof electrical connector comprising a socket assembly and a plug assembly, the socket assembly including a body of non-conductive material having a socket therein and a contact positioned for a surface of the contact to form a portion of the side wall of the opening that is spaced from the ends of the opening, said plug assembly including a plug member comprising a contact having an elongated central portion and a radially extending portion attached to the central portion intermediate its ends, and two seal members of resilient elastomeric material mounted on the central portion on opposite sides of the radially extending portion of the contact to engage the side walls of the socket in the socket body and seal the contacts from fluid outside the socket body, said radially extending portion extending radially beyond the outside surface of the seal members on one side of the plug member and less than the outside surface of the seal members on the other side to compress the resilient elastomeric material of the seal members against the side wall of the opening as the contact of the plug member is inserted into the opening in the socket to provide a resilient force urging the radially extending portion of the plug contact into engagement with the socket contact.
 5. The connector of claim 4 in which the socket contact is a cylinder with its longitudinal axis in axial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the socket and spaced from its ends.
 6. The connector of claim 4 in which the radially extending portion of the plug contact is generally cylindrical with its longitudinal axis parallel to and spaced from the longitudinal axes of the seal rings.
 7. A fluid proof connector comprising a socket assembly and a plug assembly, the socket assembly including a body having a plurality of sockets therein and a plurality of contacts, each positioned in the body with one surface of each contact forming a portion of the wall of one of the sockets intermediate the ends of the socket, the plug assembly including a plurality of plug members for insertion into the sockets in the body of the sockets, each plug member including a contact having a radially extending portion to engage the surface of the socket contact that forms a portion of the wall of a socket when the plug member is inserted in the socket, and two seal members of resilient material positioned on opposite sides of the radially extending portion of the plug contact to engage the walls of the socket on opposite sides of the socket contact surface that forms a portion of the inside wall of the socket to seal the two engaged contact surfaces from ambient fluid exterior of the connector when the plug member is inserted into the socket, said seal members being in axial alignment with each other and positioned relative to the radially extending portion of the plug contacts to be forced laterally out of axial alignment with the sockets when the radially extending portion of the plug contact engages the socket contact to provide a resilient force urging the contacts into engagement when the plug member is inserted into the sockets of the socket body.
 8. A fluid proof connector comprising a socket assembly and a plug assembly, the socket assembly including a body having a socket therein and a contact positioned in the body with one surface thereof forming a portion of the wall of the socket intermediate the ends of the socket, the plug assembly including a plug member for insertion into the socket in the body of the socket, said plug member including a contact having a radially extending portion having a generally cylindrical surface to engage the surface of the socket contact that forms a portion of the wall of the socket, and two seal members of resilient material positioned on opposite sides of the radially extending portion of the plug contact to engage the walls of the socket on opposite sides of the socket contact surface that forms a portion of the inside wall of the socket to seal the two engaged contact surfaces from ambient fluid exterior of the connector, said seal members being in axial alignment with each other and positioned with their axis parallel to and spaced from the longitudinal axis of the generally cylindrical surface of the radially extending portion of the plug contact to be forced laterally out of axial alignment with the socket to provide a resilient force urging the contacts into engagement when the plug member is inserted into the socket of the socket body.
 9. The connector of claim 8 in which the socket assembly contact is a cylindrical member, the inside diameter of which is substantially equal to the diameter of the socket in the socket body. 